Grow shrooms? Read this review and grow magic mushrooms with easy grow kit

Author: Gweedo Expert in growing, processing and applying cannabis

Sometimes it's necessary to do something different. Especially with all the stress this corona crisis brings. It's nice to get off the daily highway and take an exit to a psychedelic side street. Normally, you CNNBS readers are used to getting a grow report on the hows and whys of growing my cannabis outdoors. This piece is about growing the psilocybe cubensis. Yes, Gweedo grows mushrooms too. 

Easy method for growing magic mushrooms 

Making mycelium from spores all by yourself is an interesting thing to do. But you need to have a lot of patience, it takes months before you can grow mushrooms on it. And the chance of contamination or infection of the mycelium by undesirable bacteria is large if the equipment used is not clean and sterile. It is also important to keep the mycelium constantly at the right temperature for it to grow. A very interesting subject to delve into. But not something for when you want to make a spiritual journey in a short time. That's why I grow regularly with a Mushroom Grow Kit from Sirius.nl. With this legal mushroom grow kit the growing medium is already grown through and has become a complete mycelium. So you can immediately start growing your magic mushrooms, and after three weeks you can harvest for the first time. The mycelium is ready-made and comes in a grow box together with an air-permeable bag, two paperclips and a detailed manual. The grow kits are available in several types and in two sizes.

Work clean when growing magic mushrooms

The magic mushroom strain I am growing this round is McKennaii. Named after Terrence McKenna. If that name doesn't ring a bell, it is very interesting to google this name. The McKennaii growkit is a 1200 ml StealthBox Mushroom Grow Kit. Growing mushrooms is best done on a warm surface. That's why I use the grow kit heat mat. Mycelium is very sensitive to contamination. Bacteria are everywhere, also on your hands and in the air. These can reduce the strength of the mycelium. Or even cause it to go moldy. Work clean, and you will harvest more and more often. I use 70% isopropyl alcohol. This does not dissipate right away and therefore has a better chance of disinfecting. With this I clean the place where I am going to unpack and prepare the set. I also clean the latex gloves and all the tools I use with alcohol. I don't wear fluffy clothing and I put my wires in a hat. The cleaner you work, the higher the yield will be.

How do I start growing my own magic mushrooms?

When you receive a grow kit, start growing right away. Waiting will reduce the yield. If you can't, store the kit at a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees. To prevent mushrooms from growing sideways, I wrap the bottom and sides of the grow box with aluminum foil. This way, only mushrooms grow upwards. Remove the lid, rinse it under the faucet and save it for later. Place the grow box in the plastic bag. With a plant sprayer, spray the inside of the bag a little wet. You do this every day and in this way you let in some fresh air. Fold it closed a few times and secure it with the paper clips. The grow set needs light, but should not be in full sun. My set is next to the window in a corner, so that no direct light ever shines on it. Make sure the temperature is constant between 20 and 28 degrees. This is where the heat mat comes in handy. After two days you turn off the heat mat to let the temperature drop. You turn it on again when the first small heads start to form.

Fast growth and multiple harvests from magic mushroom growkit

After five days, the little heads, the pins, started to come up in my case, and by day seven, small mushrooms were already visible. On day ten I did the first harvest. This was very fast in my opinion, usually this takes a few days longer. But once the mushrooms grow, it goes fast. Sometimes very fast. In the morning it seems that they are not ready for harvest. When I come home from work in the evening, most of the mushrooms have burst open and covered the mycelium with a purple-black layer of spores. Something you should avoid. The spores make the mycelium much less fertile for the next harvest. With the spores the mycelium knows it has produced fertile mushrooms and then its job is done. 

Harvesting your magic mushrooms

The first growing round already produced a nice harvest. When harvesting you also work clean. Wash your hands, wear gloves and disinfect them with alcohol. Grasp the mushroom at the bottom of the stem and gently pull it loose with a twisting motion. On a piece of cardboard with a sheet of kitchen roll I then let them dry. I harvest all the mushrooms at once to reduce the risk of spores. I put the culture container with the mycelium cake under the tap. Then I carefully run a small jet of water on the cake for a few minutes so that it can absorb the water. Then I close the culture container with the lid and put it in the refrigerator. After twelve hours, I drain out the excess water and remove the lid. The mycelium cake is now ready for another round.

Great yield from harvesting magic mushrooms

With this grow kit I have been able to harvest five times. Round three and four I was a little less attentive, with the result that the membrane was cracked and many spores were released. Had this not happened, I think round five would have yielded a bit more, as this was a potent set. In total I harvested 320 grams of mushrooms, which yielded 27 grams of dried mushrooms. In my case that's good for ten times nice floating and relaxing. Or five times a space journey through the galaxy, including a moon landing. 

Mushrooms are indispensable in our nature and without them we probably would not have existed. That's what I call magic! They can be nutritious for both body and mind. The RIVM has a ranking of the most dangerous drugs in which magic mushrooms are listed at the very last place. But watch out! If you don't know what to expect, it can be very overwhelming. Always make sure you have someone around who is substance free. And, of course, not for children and pregnant women. If you, or someone in your family, is prone to psychosis, I recommend not taking them.

For a good space trip fly to planet Sirius.nl for one of the many mushroom grow kits. Available from € 21,90.

See you all in space,

Gweedo

Psychedelic Netflix viewing tips

• Magic Medicine
• Fantastic Fungi

Gweedo Expert in growing, processing and applying cannabis

Gweedo is a true cannabis expert. This includes growing, processing and applying cannabis. With over 25 years of experience, he is a walking encyclopedia for all things cannabinoids.

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